Darren Sarll (Page 4)

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Yeovil Town manager Darren Sarll said he expects to be without defender Max Hunt for “a couple of months” after picking up an injury in training ahead of today’s 2-1 defeat to Wrexham.

The centre half was on crutches at pitchside with a brace around his lower leg and was one of two other injury worries with Josh Staunton limping off. The manager confirmed he will need a scan to assess the extent of that injury.

But one piece of good news is that captain Luke Wilkinson, who it was feared could be out for six weeks after an injury at Southend, is expected to return for next weekend’s trip to Woking.

Yeovil Town manager Darren Sarll.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins after the match, Sarll said: “Hunt is going to be a couple of months, but Staunton we don’t know. We can’t see inside the leg until we get it scanned.

“This is the thing when you have small groups, the toll to prepare, play and throw everything at a game like Josh does for this football club, it takes a toll over a season.

“I feel we are so close, the foundation of the group could be so wonderful, we just need a little bit more.”

Having sold top-scorer Joe Quigley to National League rivals Chesterfield on Friday night, the Glovers are left with 17 first-team squad members, including back-up goalkeeper Max Evans and young midfielder Toby Stephens.

Sarll said the squad needed “a little bit more help“, adding that he was not giving “a cryptic clue” with the club’s owner Scott Priestnall having said that falling attendances was the reason behind the sale of Quigley.

He previously said the club had budgeted for averaging crowds of 3,000 this season – an average they have not achieved since the 2016/17 campaign in League Two. There was a crowd of 2,988 inside Huish Park against Wrexham.

The manager said: “I think we are close, this team has a wonderful foundation, a great commitment, energy and spirit. I think the supporters believe in them, I believe in every one of them, but we need a bit more depth.

“Phil (Parkinson, the Wrexham manager) was able to make a change at half-time bringing on a normal starter in (Jordan) Ponticelli who I thought made a big difference in the first ten minutes of the second half.

“We need a little bit more help. That is not a cryptic clue that I am giving anyone but I feel for the players, they deserve a better ending of their day for the performance they put in.”

Asked if he hoped to be able to bring players to the club, Sarll added: “The deal has to be right and affordable, if we can we will.

“(Quigley) is the fourth forward I have sold here in two-and-a-half years, so we obviously improve people.

“We try and improve players with our coaching. I would have liked him today.“

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Full-back Mark Little is playing through the pain barrier as he makes his way in to the Yeovil Town team.

The ex-Bristol City player has been missing for the past four months after rupturing the ligaments in his foot in pre-season.

Talking to the Gloverscast‘s Ben Barrett ahead of the weekend’s visit from big-spending Wrexham, the 33-year-old said that he had originally been told the injury may not be serious.

He explained: “The first two sets of people said just ice it and it will be fine, so I went to see a specialist and it needed surgery and there’s a plate to hold my foot together.

“The surgeon is happy it’s stronger than it was before, but I need to teach my foot to play football now. I know the more I play, the better it will be.

“This surgeon is saying ‘go and do what you want to do’, normally if you feel pain you will come out of training, but I have been encouraged to play through it.”

Little made his playing return in last weekend’s FA Trophy exit at the hands of lower division Needham Market and was one of four players to miss from the spot in a penalty shoot-out.

He praised the work of manager Darren Sarll for lifting the team after the defeat and the departure of assistant manager Terry Skiverton at the start of the week.

He said: “It was not great over the weekend which was sombre before the (Needham Market) game which led to the performance maybe, but we have had a full week this week.

“The manager is so good at this. He is upset and frustrated as much as we are, but he gets the mood in the camp better.

“We had two tough days Monday, Tuesday, rest day Wednesday and then two good days and we’ve had a perfect week leading up to up a match.”

Sarll said Little was “in contention” for a start against Wrexham at Huish Park this weekend.

He said: “We need to be a bit more progressive with Mark, I’m not sure he can do 90 minutes but he will certainly be in contention for a start.

“He gets closer every day, but he is a true professional and you can see why he’s played in the Championship for as long as he did.”

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Darren Sarll has said he know “less than anyone” about the ongoing talks of takeover surrounding the ownership of Yeovil Town.

However, the manager said that discussions around the possible sale by current owner Scott Priestnall to the Simul Sports Group, led by former Cardiff director Julian Jenkins.

This week, Jenkins confirmed his group were “fully engaged in the final stages of due diligence” to buy Yeovil Football & Athletic Club, the company which owns the club’s football operations and Huish Park stadium.

Yeovil Town manager Darren Sarll.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Speaking about the discussions ahead of the weekend’s match with Wrexham, Sarll said: “My job is not to worry about who’s coming in or may be coming in, all I know is there’s been a lot of rumours for a long time and we are where we are.

“The players are behind me, I’m behind the players, that is the only support we need in our dressing room, all the rest is just noise and we need to learn to block that out.

“Does it get difficult at times? Of course, it does because very few of these players have been through this.

“But we have to make sure we go down the tunnel because, by hook or by crook, whether we play well or not, if we lose games we get criticised, whoever the owner is.

“We have to concentrate on performances on the pitch and that is our focus, to keep punching above our weight – that’s all we can do.”

However, Sarll insisted that he did not feel he needed to know every detail of discussions which have been ongoing for months – and confirmed he is a listener to the Gloverscast!

He told our man Ben Barrett: “I can put things in the back of my head, I’m an employee of an organisation like everyone else, I don’t feel I have the right to demand x and y to the people that have paid my mortgage for the last two-and-a-half years.

“All the other things you get as a football manager, if you don’t like them, don’t do the job! I get criticised all the time, I get criticised on your podcast – maybe I add?! But that’s okay.

“I don’t feel a righteousness that I deserve to be told every five minutes that who owns the football club, I’m sure if there’s someone coming in they will introduce themselves to me and which way they are going with Darren Sarll.

“They will know which way they want to go anyway, so I have a contract until the end of June and I’ll keep working inside that contract.”

Experienced full-back Mark Little also told Ben that the club’s players had not been told anything more about the possible deal.

He was a player at Bolton Wanderers when they narrowly avoided relegation from the Championship on the final day of the 2017/18 amid huge financial problems which led to players not being paid.

But, the former Bristol City man said this is a very different situation: “At Bolton because we hadn’t been paid for three months, that was probably the most important news I needed to know.

“It’s very different here because anything below the owner, everything is running smoothly, everyone is here and training and games are coming thick and fast – that’s our department, that’s what we concentrate on.

“We are not getting information, I don’t think the manager is either, it’s way above our pay grade and I could not tell you if it’s a good thing or not if we get taken over or not.

“We have got games to win and that’s the thing we have to do, whether we have this owner or another owner.”

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Sonny Blu Lo-Everton‘s loan at Yeovil Town has been extended until the end of the season, manager Darren Sarll has confirmed to the Gloverscast.

Sonny Blu Lo-Everton in action for Yeovil Town.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

The 19-year-old has made 22 appearances since arriving at Huish Park from his parent club, Premier League Watford, in the summer, but his original loan expired last weekend.

Speaking to Ben Barrett at his press conference ahead of tomorrow’s visit by Wrexham, the manager confirmed he is staying until the end of the campaign.

He said: “Sonny is done which is great for us.

“With players like Sonny, you see the best part of their season in that second half once they have adapted to the senior game and to our game.

“If we are in line to see an even better version of Sonny then we have got an absolute gem of our player.”

The manager also confirmed that on-loan goalkeeper Dillon Barnes, who played two games during the suspension of Grant Smith over the Christmas and New Year period, and full-back Jaheim Headley have returned to their parent clubs QPR and Huddersfield Town.

In other news at the club’s weekly press conference, the manager said…..

  • Captain Luke Wilkinson was unlikely to feature against Wrexham but said he hoped to have him back for next weekend’s trip to Woking.
    He said: “We have to be careful with him, he’s going to train today (Friday) but I doubt we’ll risk him tomorrow.
    “But he should be good for next week which when he came off at Southend that scared the life out of me, so for him to only miss a couple of weeks has been the last part of the past two weeks.“
  • Winger Charlie Wakefield has not had a full week of training having been out of the squad for last weekend’s exit from the FA Trophy against Needham Market.
    The manager said: “He’s had a problem with his back. Charlie has played more games for Yeovil than his other four clubs combined and he’s feeling the effects of it.
    “We have been careful with him this week, I do expect him to be available but I am not sure whether he’ll start or come off the bench.”
    The manager is not far off with Wakefield having made 24 appearances already this season – he managed one fewer for Wealdstone and Bromley last season, but managed just 13 appearances for Chelsea Under-23s in 2016/17 and Coventry City in 2018/19 and 2019/20.
  • Asked about any incomings, Sarll said he was trying to bring players in and suggested these were more likely to come in through the loan market than permanent signings.
    He said: “My job is always to ask for more and I do that repeatedly. We are trying to negotiate with players and clubs all the time.
    “It needs refreshing now, that’s why there’s a window in January because clubs need that extra to spike it at this point in the season.
    “This is the least amount of loans I have used in my time at Yeovil, so we have plenty of room to loan players in which is probably going to be our only source of acquisition.
    “There’s some really good players available this window and if we can get them, we will get them.”
    Asked if he had contacted former assistant Terry Skiverton, who took over as a first-team coach at Charlton Athletic on Monday, the manager laughed: “I did ask for one but he can’t get me him, so I started swearing and hung up!“

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Yeovil Town manager Darren Sarll talks to BBC Radio Somerset

Yeovil Town manager  Darren Sarll admitted his “didn’t know” if he would be able to strengthen his squad as his side crashed out of the FA Trophy at the hands of Needham Market on Saturday.

Speaking to BBC Somerset following the game, he admitted he would like to add more players, but that it wasn’t up to him.

The interview showed clear signs of the boss’ frustration at not being able to bolster a side which remains eight points off the National League play-off places with games in hand over teams above him.

He said: “I have tried to conduct myself with dignity because I am not an excuse maker.

“We showed Needham respect with the team we put out, the only one I rested was Tom (Knowles) having been out for a while.

“At this time of year, you usually get that nice influx of new bodies and new characters in the changing rooms, and today is probably the first time I have looked at it and thought we could do with some experience and character.

“I don’t think Mark (Little) will feel like he’s fit enough to really impose himself and Reuben (Reid) is probably the same.

“It’s been a horrible week professionally  and personally and it didn’t get any easier today.”

The Glovers were without (deep breath): 

  • Luke Wilkinson – hamstring injury which the manager said today meant he was “two or three weeks away” from returning;
  • Dan Moss – recalled from his loan spell by parent club Millwall;
  • Joe Quigley – illness;
  • Charlie Wakefield – had not trained this week;
  • Jaheim Headley – loan expired today and (we assume) he is back with Huddersfield Town;
  • Dillon Barnes – missing from the last two squad and presumably returned to QPR after his loan.

Then there is also youth team players Ollie Haste, who played – and scored – for the Under 18s, and Toby Stephens who absence was unexplained, but who hasn’t featured since his loan spell at Hemel Hempstead.

The absentees meant Sarll could only panne four substitutes against Needham Market, one of whom was defender Mark Little who was making his competitive debut for the club having been missing since pre-season.

Sarll admitted he wanted to add players of a certain calibre, but didn’t know if he could.

He said: “These young people are going to have peaks and troughs, I never got too carried away on a winning run because I know how football can change quickly.

”The biggest disappointment in today’s performance  was the lack of personality, we have to keep working.

“It does need a freshen up with some new bodies and I’m sure if we can do that, I’m sure we will and, if we can’t, we will carry on trying to improve what we have.

“I have not got the answers, I wish I did. It’s something that will always go to board level. My job is to always ask for more and keep asking and reminding because no supporter wants to come and watch that standard of performance.

“When I can’t be on the training pitch with them, there’s been a continuum of poor performances when I have not been hands on and that is something I need to look at.

“I need to look at if there’s an impact needs to be made in the backroom staff like (now departed assistant manager) Terry (Skiverton) made and whether we can punch it, it’s just such a shame we have performed so badly after building some credit, we have thrown all that away unfortunately.

“Bringing in another young one is not what we need right now, we need someone who will leave a little bit of a mark in the dressing room where the players look each other in the eye.

“By next week, we will not have Luke (Wilkinson) back but we will have (Charlie) Wakefield back. We lack a real thrust when Knowles and Wakefield aren’t out there and I’ve learnt that the hard way today.”

It is also hoped that full confirmation of Sonny Blu Lo-Everton’s loan extension will be confirmed this week as this FA Trophy tie represented the last of his current spell at Huish Park.

 

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Sarll watches on

Yeovil Town manager Darren Sarll struck a visibly frustrated figure when speaking to Sheridan Robins following the Glovers’ shock FA Trophy exit at the hands of Needham Market.

He said that his side had done enough to progress, but that ultimately too many errors and too many wasted moments led to his side’s exit.

“I thought we did enough to win it. I know Grant (Smith) makes a brilliant save at the end and his was our best player including the penalties – but we should never have allowed it to get to penalties.”

“I want to give great respect and credit to Needham and Kevin (Horlock, the manager), I thought they conducted themselves unbelievably well, I thought technically at times they looked better than us.”

“Physically was the only thing we edged, which we should being a full-time team, and it was a very poor performance…It was personality-less and that is a worrying trait whether you are young or old.”

“The first half was pretty controlled. We are not a great team when we have to have the ball, quality is at a premium and technically we were awful – we allowed that game to get to penalties, even in that penalty shoot-out we had four chances to win it in our ground with our fans, so we well and truly got what we deserved today.”

Sarll made a number of enforced changes, but still played what he called his ‘strongest eleven”, and admitted his hands were tied with just four subs named.

“We know when Luke (Wilkinson) is back he is a massive player, I think when we don’t have Staunton in midfield we lose control, Dale (Gorman) does a brilliant job but around him we have a lot of athleticism but we don’t have a lot of control and composure, Jordan (Barnett) and Matthew (Worthington) run so hard but there are times when we need to breathe.”

The Glovers host Hollywood’s Wrexham next Saturday a match which Sarll said would be “nice and easy” with his tongue firmly pressed into his cheek.

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Darren Sarll is not looking at tomorrow’s FA Trophy tie with Needham Market as an opportunity to give players who have been out of his Yeovil Town squad game time – he just wants to win.

The manager has a number of players including defender/midfielder Alex Bradley and number two goalkeeper Max Evans who have had limited match minutes this season, while defender Mark Little is heading towards returning from long-term injury.

Yeovil Town manager Darren Sarll.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Despite their opponents at Huish Park being two steps below them in the football pyramid, Sarll is not expecting to make changes simply to give players game time.

However, the loss of captain Luke Wilkinson through injury and full-back Dan Moss, whose loan spell has been ended early, means the manager will have to make at least two changes from the midweek defeat at Southend United.

He also revealed winger Charlie Wakefield had not trained this week, but said midfielder Matt Worthington should be available having missed the last match through illness.

Speaking ahead of the fourth round tie, the manager said: “We need to get back to winning ways and experience winning again. It doesn’t always get easier because you are playing a (lower division) team, but we need to put out a team that gives us the best chance of winning the game.

“There might still be a couple of changes, we know (Luke) Wilkinson hobbled off the other night, Josh Staunton is always a player I always worry about not having, especially when Wilkinson is not about, and Mark Little needs to experience the game either from the start or off the bench.

“So there might be a few changes here and there, but I want to make sure I don’t go in to it and assume (any team) can win the game.”

Asked in particular about whether stand-in ‘keeper Evans would get a start having played the third round tie with Woking last month, Sarll said: “I will be considering that overnight, but this is not participation football. In an ideal world we would get those players who need game time (playing games) but we haven’t won in four and my job is to win matches.”

During the press conference on Friday, the manager also said:

  • He was “95% sure” that on-loan Watford forward Sonny Blu Lo-Everton would be staying until the end of the season with his loan stay due to expire after Saturday.
    The boss said he was “delighted” that defender Jack Robinson will be with the club until May after extending his stay and thanked his parent club, Middlesbrough, and Millwall, who loaned us the impressive Dan Moss.
    Sarll said: “The financial outlay of his stay was next to nothing for a player like (Dan Moss), and Millwall along with Middlesbrough are the best club I have ever dealt with for young players and loans.
    “Their understanding of a lack of resources and young players and been incredible.“
  • The manager was full of praise for Moss whose loan stay was cut short to enable him to join League Two side Leyton Orient last week.
    Sarll said: “Dan Moss was exceptional and it was a heart-breaking moment when he told me he was going to go.
    “The loan move was perfect for all parties, the only bit that was missing was the extension (of his stay) with Yeovil.
    “(The move) was Dan’s choice, not Millwall’s choice, it’s his choice to go and put himself in to the EFL and we can’t begrudge him that.
    “He was an outstanding performer us, the most low maintenance player, a brilliant guy.”
  • Sarll questioned the decision to rule out a ‘goal’ from defender Max Hunt for handball in the closing stages of the defeat at Southend, saying: “(Max) was not even looking at the ball, how can that be handball?”
    He also described suggestions from the Southend camp that they had put in a great performance to earn the 2-1 win as “nonsense” saying: “They weren’t great and we weren’t great.”

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Yeovil Town boss, Darren Sarll spoke to BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins following the Glovers’ 2-1 defeat at Southend United and said that his side looked ‘fatigued‘ both mentally and physically.

The manager said: “It lacked balance, when I think of the story of the game, when I think of the front four first half in the comparison to the opponent’s front three, that part of the pitch looked so unbalanced.

“We actually playing the system better, then we made the changes with the centre forwards as we had no real route to goal… then we whacked it at goal, for a good 20 minutes, everything was ‘whack, whack’ which shows some mental fatigue and shows some players out of form

“For the last eight minutes of normal time, plus the extra time, there was a bit of balance and we found the time when to pass and when to play into the front, and then I thought we looked a threat.”

Yeovil had a goal ruled out through Max Hunt which Darren Sarll said “maybe” could have been given on another day, but despite the late rally, Southend held on.

The second Southend goal, scored by Tom Clifford has left the gaffer with his biggest headache.

He said: “The biggest disappointment is the second goal, it is like a car crash and that probably does show mental fatigue. 

“I don’t want to throw the chaps under the bus, because they’ve been outstanding as we know, but that’s a huge learner.”

Sarll said that the performance in the first 20 minutes was tough to decipher the formation, or the roles of the players and that comes down to him.

“That’s really disappointing as a football coach… I know what they’re trying to do, they’re trying to start a run, trying to get that winning feeling, but that kind of ‘razz’ and that confusion, the chaos in their mind. That leads to silly decisions.”

Ruben Reid comes on vs Bournemouth

Reuben Reid‘s late consolation goal wasn’t enough as the Glovers now go four games without a win and will head in to Saturday’s game against Needham Market searching for that winning formula.

Sarll confirmed that he would be reluctant to make too many changes as the Glovers seek progression in the FA Trophy.

“We have to feel winning again, this isn’t ‘participation football’, this isn’t grass roots football, and we have to try and taste winning again, we will give them the rest they need… and we might need to give them a bit longer, we do need to find that footing now.”

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Darren Sarll said he was pleased his Yeovil Town side did “never backed down” against Championship leaders AFC Bournemouth in the defeat which ended their FA Cup run.

A hat-trick from Cherries’ midfielder Emiliano Marcondes sealed a 3-1 win for the visitors and the manager was keen to praise his side for their willingness to take the fight to this high-flying opponents.

Yeovil Town manager Darren Sarll.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins after the loss, he said: “We had a saying tonight ‘never back down’, we wanted to step in to the battle, we didn’t want to get to half-time and be talking about giving too much respect to the opponent.

“No-one backed down, no-one shied out of a challenge, and we made it messy for them at times which was something we knew we’d have to do.

“We had to try and rough it up a bit to get anything out of them and I thought the second half was an excellent performance.

“The first half I thought was patient, the first goal gives us no pride because we worked on that exact scenario too often this week, but I thought the players showed great character and I am pleased we did that.”

Having had a number of cases of COVID-19 in his already limited squad, the boss said that he was able to count on four substitutes with just under four hours to go until kick-off.

He ended up with a full complement of nine substitutes albeit only four of them – Charlie Wakefield, Sonny Blu Lo-Everton, Adi Yussuf and Reuben Reid – made it on to the pitch.

Sarll added: “Some of them were not in any condition to play, especially with the time they have played up until now, Charlie (Wakefield) being one of them.

“We have so many games coming up and we know what an important player he is for us but the physio and doctor were excellent to get the players in a shape to compete.

“We were pleased at 2pm that we started the day with four on the bench and we managed to get the full complement out, which we have not been able to do much this season.”

Looking ahead of Tuesday night’s trip to Southend United in the National League, the boss said his side needed to get back to the form which had seen them go 13 matches unbeaten before a double defeat to Torquay United over the festive period.

He said: “All the razz, glamour and cameras are over now and it’s important we get back to being gritty and getting draws away from home, three points at home.

“We have to get back to the reality of what the fifth division of the game looks like, and Tuesday will be tough because (Southend is) a well-supported club and it has a bigger resource than us.”

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Manager Darren Sarll has promised “surprises” in the Yeovil Town side he puts out to face AFC Bournemouth in the FA Cup third round on Saturday.

The Glovers’ camp have been struck down by COVID-19 this week which left the boss with just 12 players to choose from on Thursday, but the boss said the situation was changing daily.

He also revealed that former Bournemouth midfielder Matt Worthington and defender Morgan Williams both suffered knocks which saw them go off in the 2-1 defeat against Torquay United last weekend.

Sarll said: “I thought at one stage we may not be able to play the game just because of sheer numbers (of players we had unavailable).

“I’m coming back to a place where COVID has been present and I’m putting myself at risk every day, if I take this home to my two children and my wife, they are at risk.

“That doesn’t seem to be top of anyone’s agenda. I’m not sulking, those are just the facts, we are getting on with it.

“Outside the Premier League, there doesn’t seem to be any process around these decisions – play the game or get out of the competition.”

On Worthington and Williams, he added: “Williams will be touch and go, Worthington is probably stronger in terms of what we has been able to do this week.

“Then without naming individuals, there’s those who have suffered with illness this week, they have to take a different place depending where they are with their recovery.

“There will be surprises in the line up and the surprises will only be because of the illness that has been in the camp this week.”

There was no specific reference to captain Luke Wilkinson who missed the Torquay defeat having returned a positive lateral flow test ahead of the fixture – so it appears we may have to wait and see which Yeovil Town team makes the team-sheet come 4.45pm on Saturday.

In other news from the weekly pre-match press conference, the manager said:

  • It sounds like the boss will not be getting caught up in the romance of the FA Cup saying his side could not afford to be distracted by “all that mumbo-jumbo.”
    He added: “We have to play every kick and every moment being focused and concentrated and we have to see it through until whatever minute it takes.
    “I have been fortunate this is not my first time playing a team from the Championship in round three, and you can get ahead of yourself and thinking about the potential outcomes of the game.
    “We have just got to get to minute one and try to get through to minute two with a focus which is unparalleled to what we normally do because we are playing such a great side.” 
  • It seems unlikely there will be any further loan signings at coming in with the saying the only additions he would require need finances he does not have access too.
    He said: “The best loans we have had here are Remeao Hutton who was 100% supported by Birmingham, and Jimmy Smith, who we paid our way for because he was that good.
    “So if you want those players who will make an immediate impact like Jimmy did you have to have the resources available and at the moment I don’t think they are available.”
    The club currently has its full quota of loanees in goalkeeper Dillon Barnes, defenders Dan Moss (Millwall), Jack Robinson (Middlesbrough) and Jaheim Headley (Huddersfield Town) and forward Sonny Blu Lo-Everton.
    Sarll reiterated that he would be “delighted” to keep two out of the three of Moss, Robinson and Lo-Everton.
  • There was praise for Jaheim Headley who the manager said only missed out on the defeat to Torquay due to the late absence of Luke Wilkinson.
    Sarll said: “Jaheim Headley has been brilliant since he joined us. He was very unfortunate to miss out on the squad (against Torquay) which was only because Wilkinson’s situation.
    “His attitude has been fabulous and he’s a real credit to Huddersfield, I don’t see too many young men behaving in the way he has this week.”